Good Luck with That
by soloscribe
Summary: Jane & Maura may have made it out of Giovanni's garage, but someone still has to tell Angela about the fib before she hears it from the source.  Dramatic Jane, confused Maura, and some predictive correcting ahead. Reviews are love.
1. Chapter 1

_I had to repost the story because I missed an edit on it. Set after Season 2, episode 3. Gotta love those Jane & Maura conversations…_

"I can't believe we pulled that off." Jane shook her head as she pulled into traffic. "And you—for someone who can't lie, you sure pulled that off." Dark eyebrows rose as she threw a look at her friend.

Maura adjusted her seatbelt and settled further into the seat. "It wasn't a lie. Everything we said was technically true. We _are_ best friends. And that is more than 'BFFs.'" She dug into her purse for her sunglasses and settled them into place.

The detective scoffed, taking a right turn. "Thank God he bought it. Now I'm just gonna have to explain this to Ma before Giovanni does. No—wait!" She pointed to her passenger. "_You_ get to explain this one."

"Me?" Maura protested. "You were the one prevaricating back there."

"You prevaricated. I lied." Jane couldn't help but be pleased with herself when she caught Maura's surprise. "Prevaricate. To evade, mislead intentionally." She gestured to her friend again, "Prevaricator" and then to herself, "Liar. And least I'm honest about lying."

"But that… I think that's another flawed syllogism," Maura grumbled as they pulled onto the freeway. "Either way, you lied, too. How that does that get you out of telling your mother? It seems like prevaricating and lying, here, are the same thing."

The dark head shook. "It's not the same thing. No, it's not," she pressed before Maura could object. "I was helping my BFF out of a relationship that I clearly remember warning her about."

Maura sighed and threw her hands up in surrender. "Fine, I'll figure it out. I'll talk to her… or something."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Jane tossed back, shifting lanes smoothly, a little surprised herself at how well this car was running. "My advice? Go Google-mouth on her. Distract her with, I don't know… talking about Italian cooking or babies or something."

The medical examiner had propped one elbow against the window, her fingers tapping on the glass. She was quiet, clearly lost in thought, and Jane hoped for her sake that she was mentally preparing the entire history of the Roman empire and its influence on American food. The next words out of Maura's mouth threw her for a total loop: "Jane, I feel sorry for Giovanni."

"Maur—" the taller woman protested, taking the exit for the precinct.

Maura shook her head, refusing to leave the subject. "No, hear me out. I mean, _soulmates_? Jane…"

She pulled to the curb in front of the precinct and parked the car, twisting in the seat to fully face her best friend. "Maura Isles, I have two words for you: Face. Licking."

Maura's nose instantly wrinkled in disgust. "But… he was really sweet, that aside. Maybe some sort of conditioning could have changed that…"

"What? Like Pavlov and the dogs and the bell? Then you'd have him drooling on you, and that's better _how_?"

She sighed and collected her purse. "Did I mention that he was sweet?"

"Yes," Jane sighed, killing the engine and grabbing her cellphone. "Because he wasn't a Mass—"

"Language!" came the prompt check.

"Maura, I didn't even say it, and it's not even really a curse word," Jane pouted disentangling herself from the seatbelt as Maura did the same. She grabbed the peppers hanging from the rearview mirror and stuffed them into the glove box.

"Predictive correcting," Maura answered sunnily, playfully returning Jane's glare. She opened the door was halfway out when she heard the distinctive voice."

"Oh. My. God." Angela Rizzoli stood at the curb, gaping at the newly remade car.

"If I were you, I'd break the Giovanni/LLBFF news now," Jane hissed, glancing through the windshield to see her mother starting to circle the car, an unintelligible squeak coming from her mouth. "Yeah… good luck with that."


	2. Chapter 2

Angela Rizzoli was petitioning heaven for the fifth time, by Jane's count, albeit this time in _sotto voce_ as the detective slid out the passenger door. The tall brunette intentionally kept the car between them, stepping clockwise at the same pace as her mother circling the car. "Hey, so, um … it looks… really special, huh?" Glancing to Maura, who was following closely behind Angela, she mouthed _tell now, distracted… go!_

"Well, it's actually really nice, um, contrast—the red and the grey," Maura piped up. "Just think how much easier it will be to find in a parking lot."

Frankie rushed out to join them, stopping short at the curb, his mouth open.

"It's… it's kinda hip, right?" Angela asked uncertainly.

Jane gestured for Frankie to help out, her hands caught mid-air as her mother rounded the front of the car and looked up at her. She pressed her lips together, one hand dropping and the other running through her hair. "Yeah, definitely. And, uh, like Maura said, you'll always know where it is in the parking lot. And…" She gave her brother a small kick.

"Ow—uh, plus, nobody's gonna steal a car like that," Frankie finally spoke. "'Cuz it'd be too easy to spot, ya know?"

"Yeah," Angela answered, still a little uncertainty in her voice. "It's…it's nice. I mean, it runs, why should I complain? I need to call up Giovanni, and thank… him. Yeah. Oh, look, the steering wheel cover. I always hated how hot that was in the summer, that looks soft." She slid into the driver's seat, hands running over the fuzzy leopard print material."

"Okay, you're on your own," Jane hissed to her best friend, warily rounding the trunk and coming toward the driver's side as Maura scowled and slid back into the passenger's side.

The medical examiner began to point out the new features, adding in the less-visible improvements like the much-needed water pump. "Giovanni said he was glad to do it. It is a little overboard, but he was really excited. He said he just went with it."

With a nod, Angela gave Maura's hand a squeeze. "That's it. I'm making that boy some dinner. Hey, I know, dinner for both of you. You like him, huh? He was such a nice kid."

"Well, um," Maura grabbed for the cell phone. "Actually, you shouldn't… I mean, you should limit your exposure to the cell phone. Cell phone usage and links to cancer are inconclusive at best, but I think you should, ah… consider—"

"Maura Isles, are you trying to get out of telling me something? Don't think I don't know what you're doing. I raised three kids, and God knows Janie was the queen of that kind of stuff," Angela accused, twisting in her seat to give her best 'mom' look.

The redhead's mouth opened, closed, and opened again, and she tried to look out the window behind Angela to find her best friend.

"Was it something about the car? Or Giovanni?"

Jane leaned against the car, leaning against the open window as her friend fumbled for words. There was no way she would trade places with Maura. She had been on the receiving end of Angela Rizzoli's inquisition enough times to know where this was going.

"Giovanni," Maura answered, arms crossing. "We sort of let him think JaneandIwereinarelationship," she rushed through. "But anyway, look how interesting your car is, and the water pump is fixed."

Angela raised a hand, and Jane pushed back from the car, sensing what was coming. "Wait, you and Jane said you were in a relationship?" She twisted back around quickly, hand reaching out to snag Jane's sleeve. "Hold on, there, missy. What's this about? Jane, are you two in a relationship or are you liar? I didn't raise my kids to be liars."

"Ma, wait, what… Maura's telling you that, and you just… How is this _my_ fault?" Dark eyes flickered to Frankie, but he was staring at her, looking back and forth between his sister and the medical examiner.

"Jane Rizzoli, answer my question, are you two in a relationship?"

"No, Ma, come on. You know we're just best friends. Giovanni was getting all … skeezy on Maura, and she brought it up, and I went with it. Just don't… he's not right for her, so just leave it." Jane glared at her brother, knowing he was still trying to work it out. "Frankie, stop looking at us like that."

"Janie," Angela said, starting in with her _concerned parent_ look, "You know, if you decided that you were into that, I mean… I can deal with it. I'm on the up and up, you know. Besides, we love Maura. She's already family."

"Really, Angela, that's so sweet," Maura spoke up, giving her most endearing smile. "But, no, that was only a ruse. Giovanni, although charming, simply wasn't a match. Although if that offer of dinner is still good, I'll take you up on it. And he did ask for some cookies, and I'd be willing to help you."

Angela gave a nod of approval and started the engine. "Okay, dinner for you, and thank you for getting the car fixed up, Maura."

"Hey!" Jane protested, "What about me? I don't get dinner? I didn't even start all this!"

"I didn't raise my daughter to lie," came the succinct answer. "Frankie, you coming later?"

"I gotta work later, I'm still on shift, but you can send some leftover, that'd be great," the youngest Rizzoli answered, leaning down to give his mother a peck on the cheek before and smirking at his sister as he sauntered back inside.

Jane sighed, arms crossing. "Well, can I at least get a ride? Maura picked up, and I don't have my car."

"Get in the back," Angela sighed, waving her to the back as if she were a pesky fly.

"Angela, isn't the recipe for four? And, besides, Jane was trying to help."

Angela sighed, eyes rolling as she buckled her seatbelt. "Alright, alright." She turned in her seat and gave her daughter a no-nonsense look. "But you're doing the dishes."


End file.
